Tag: praise

Categories
Prayer

Praise attack

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s Letter to the Church at Ephesus, Chapter 4, Verses 4-7, New International Version)

Are you facing huge problems, challenges, pain, suffering, etc.? Strike back with praise! Strike back with thanksgiving. Do this from the very time you wake up. This will set the nature of your day. You and not the circumstances will own your heart. This is crucial, urgent, essential. This is the  martial art of a grateful heart. Be grateful in spite of what is happening to you.

This is not Pollyanna dither. This is how you free your mind and emotions to fight back, to focus on the objective, and to move forward in spite of overwhelming odds.

On the other hand, if life is just great for you right now, then be especially diligent in thanking God for your situation. This will guard against pride.

 

Categories
Health

Post-op praise

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100, New International Version)

 

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the church at Phillipi, Chapter 4, New International Version)

 

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the church at Thessaloniki, Chapter 5, New International Version)

This morning, I rejoice, praising the Lord. Thursday before going into the operating room, I signed a sheet acknowledging that I had been warned of all the ghastly possible outcomes, including brain damage and death. It is almost noon on Saturday. The Lord protected me through that valley of the shadow! This morning, the Spirit prompted me out of bed and into my prayer walk. My system started moving again. Gone now is the refuse that had accumulated for two days.

I changed the dressing on surgical incisions. There was no infection. I was able to bathe. I am able to sit here and share with you my joy over what did not happen as well as what has.

Now I pray for marvelously quick healing so that the work of Dr. Schultz the surgeon will be perfected through the post-op care of the Great Physician. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Categories
Wisdom

Praise vs. Thanks

Just now while in Proverbs Chapter 3, a clear insight came, an answer to a prayer of long standing. What is the difference between praise and thanksgiving?

Here it is. I praise God for the wisdom He reveals in the Book of Proverbs. It is marvelous and so unique compared to other teachings on the subject.

Now, I thank him that I have access to the Amplified Bible version of Proverbs. I thank him that I have a computer and the Internet and a private office where I can access Proverbs. I thank him that I have a period of complete calm at this rare moment to seek his wisdom. I thank Him that I can actually ask the Creator of the Universe for help in fathoming these words of wisdom.

That helped me understand the difference. Maybe you already figured this one out.